It took a day and a half before the first baby of 2007 was born at Southern Ohio Medical Center. Destiny Ann Bliss arrived at 7:54 a.m. Tuesday. Her parents had arrived at SOMC at 6 a.m.

Destiny is the daughter of Tiffany McCain and Matthew Bliss of Vanceburg, Ky. She weighed six pounds, seven ounces, and was 19 inches long at birth.

The baby was delivered by Portsmouth obstetrician Dr. George Pettit.

“Dr. Pettit and Dr. (Darren) Adams took good care of me,” McCain said.

The father was there for the delivery.

“It was a new experience for both of us,” Bliss said, holding the baby late Tuesday afternoon. “The first time I held her, I was really nervous, but now I'm used to it.”

Destiny Ann is the couple's first child, and they received help in selecting the name. “My dad (Dave McCain) helped me pick out the name,” she said. “Her middle name is the same as my mom's (Barbara Ann McCain).”

By afternoon, McCain was starting to recover from the morning's trauma.

“I was a little groggy this morning, but I feel a lot better now.”

McCain's room in the maternity department was full of gifts.

“The roses came from my boyfriend, the music box is from my mother's boyfriend, and the University of Kentucky booties came from my mom,” McCain said.

On the wall hung a wreath created out of diapers by Candy Frazier an O.B. tech.

“I've never seen anything like it,” McCain said.

The couple plans to return to Vanceburg by the weekend.

“We'll be going home Friday or Saturday, depending on how quickly she recovers,” said Bliss.

Jason Lovins, SOMC marketing communications specialist, said the last time the first baby was born on Jan. 2 was 2001.